Recently on one of my break-from-writing walks, I was listening to the Bad with Money Podcast. Erin Lowry of the Broke Millennial was discussing the basics of investing for retirement as a self-employed person. ​Her new book takes a deep dive into investing topics. It got me thinking about how freelance writers and parents need to know some basics of investing, if they don’t already.

Are you so stressed managing kids and life that you've got a bad case of writer's block, or could it be something more?

Writer’s block is an excuse that we may use to avoid or put off writing. That said, did you know that there are some situations in which your inability to write or express yourself might actually stem from anxiety?

You wake up and the summer sun — so much brighter and more joyful than the winter sun — shines in your windows. You feel inspired. The words are practically spilling off your fingertips as you begin typing, penning thoughtful prose and inspired essays. Your kids are still asleep, like little angels in their beds.

What would say if I told you that you can quickly and easily market yourself as a freelance writer to thousands of potential clients without spending a dime? Would you believe me? As a freelance writer, you can cash in on a very unique marketing opportunity.

The biggest challenge freelancers face is how to get paid what they're worth. Or even get paid to write. The writing marketplace is full of every range of writer from the newbie to the seasoned professional. So, how do you set your freelance writing rates as a newbie?

My fourth grade son recently had to write a five paragraph essay for the first time. The essay had to include an introductory paragraph and three body paragraphs. The final paragraph needed to have a conclusion that summed up what he discussed in the essay. In solidarity, I decided to challenge myself to do the same assignment and share it with him. If this is your child’s first time writing an essay, let them choose a topic that they love and already know a lot about.

Have you thought about becoming a freelance writer but had a hard time figuring out where to start? I can relate. There is so much information out there that when I got started I found it hard to stop reading and start writing. Following are steps that will launch you into a new career path and help you start making some money with your writing.

Most people become inundated with negative images and reports of China. We have this idea that China doesn’t care about people, intellectual property and wants world dominance. The American fight with China is much like the cold war with the Soviet Union. Now instead of a wall dividing East and West Germany, we have a virtual fence fortified with trade wars and human rights violations. So when a fellow teacher and friend told me he was moving to Shanghai to teach English, I thought, “Why would you ever go there?”

I never could have imagined that my self-published YA novel Falling would be out in both ebook, paperback and audiobook formats. I had no idea where to start and imagined it would cost way too much to produce an audiobook.

After listing to some podcasts on the subject, I learned that ACX, an Amazon company, allows you to create an audiobook using a royalty share arrangement. Once your audiobook is complete, it becomes available for sale on Audible/Amazon and Apple.

Two college best friends married nerdy husbands, started a family and went, how am I supposed to write? So, they teamed up to help parents follow their passion while navigating the wilds of parenthood.